One of Manchester’s most beloved independent shops has announced it is closing its doors at the end of January.
Sharing the news in a post on social media this morning, the team behind quirky Northern Quarter boutique Oklahoma revealed that the physical store will shut on 31 January.
Going forward, co-owners Yaw Djang and Nicola revealed they will instead run Oklahoma as an online-only shop.
Writing that the last three years ‘have been ones of upheaval and change’, the announcement said that Covid brought both ‘problems and opportunities’ – giving the team time to focus on expanding Oklahoma’s online offering and to explore ‘new creative focus and ideas.’
It added that, as a result of improving their online offering during lockdown, they were able to ‘reach lots of new customers all over the UK and abroad’ and ever since have been ‘juggling two businesses’.
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As a result, the post said that now felt like ‘the perfect time to close our physical shop’ and instead focus all their energy on the website offering.
Image: Oklahoma
Image: Oklahoma
The post continued: “Having a physical shop has been an absolute blast and has brought me so much joy! As those who have followed our journey will know, it’s had so many different guises over so many years.
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“It’s been a pleasure working with so many beloved staff members, many of whom I’m still in regular contact with all over the world!
“And of course, BIG love to all you wonderful customers who have visited the shop over the years!
“I am excited about this next step for me, and for the business. I can’t wait to bottle all the best colourful bits of Oklahoma and continue to showcase our brand along with all the great finds on okla.co.uk.”
Since the announcement was made this morning, Oklahoma’s social media has been flooded with messages of love and support from customers who’ve enjoyed shopping there over the past twenty-five years.
One person wrote: “Happy for you and totally get it. Sad for the retail side of the NQ. Will call in before you close. Xx”
Image: Oklahoma
Image: Oklahoma
Another person said: “Awww Nicola, truly the end of an era. Working at Oklahoma totally changed my life in the best possible way so many thankyous and lots of great memories of the caff from me! Big love to you&all your fam.”
A third added: “Thank you for being the funnest and brightest shop I’ve ever known; the shop my kids ALWAYS beg to go to if we make a trip to Manchester. The shop that would ALWAYS bring a smile to the most rubbish of days. A true joy to have had the pleasure of losing an hour in while viewing the weird and the wonderful. Thank you!”
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A fourth commented: “I’ve followed you guys for ages from down here on the south coast, and I’m so happy I eventually got to actually visit. It seems so sad, but it’s a really wise and game changing decision. Wishing you loads of love and luck”
The store itself has been open for over two decades, selling everything from quirky jewellery and wall hangings to cactus lemon juicers, gnome lamps and Guadalupe statues.
Netflix drops the first trailer for upcoming Peaky Blinders film
Danny Jones
It looks like Christmas has come early for TV drama fans and cinephiles, because Netflix has officially dropped the first trailer for the upcoming Peaky Blinders movie.
Popcorn at the ready – even the teaser alone has got us fired up.
ln just 70 seconds, they’ve managed to pull us right back in, and we cannot wait to see Cillian Murphy back in full-on Tommy Shelby mode.
Not exaggerating when we say we have LITERAL chills.
As you can see, they certainly haven’t scrimped on the budget with the first-ever feature-length Peaky Blinders film, neither in terms of production value nor the cast.
Then again, having already hosted the likes of Sam Neill, Tom Hardy, Adrien Brody, Anya Taylor-Joy and others in the series itself, as well as going on to become one of the most successful BBC shows of all time, they were never going to.
We’re sure you spotted plenty of them for yourselves, but the debut trailer for The Immortal Man gives us not only our first glimpses of now Oscar-winning Murphy, 49, back in the saddle (both figuratively and literally) but also fellow blockbuster Irish actor, Barry Keoghan.
Other big names set to appear in the movie – set for a limited release in theatres before launching exclusively on Netflix – include Rebecca Ferguson and Tim Roth. It still remains unclear, however, as to how any of these characters will knit into the new season.
It’s also worth noting that the trailer shares a little snippet of the historical context, this continuation of the Shelby story is playing into, as we see what looks to be Nazi figures meeting on screen.
Creator Steven Knight has already confirmed that the plot will fast-forward some years to meet back up with Tommy at the outset of WWII and his ancestral home of Birmingham during the Blitz.
Having already confirmed 6 March as the theatrical release date ahead of it going live on Netflix a fortnight later, the anticipation was seriously starting to ramp; this latest look has only added to the tinderbox of excitement.
What do you make of the Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man trailer, and will you be watching it?
Appeal to find two individuals after man is left with ‘serious head and face injuries’ in Altrincham attack
Danny Jones
Trafford Police are trying to find two men following an attack outside a takeaway in Altrincham earlier this year.
The incident, which took place outside Canada Grill on Railway Street a couple of months ago, has left one individual with serious.
Reported to have occurred at around 2am on Sunday, 19 October, the identity of the pair who have since been revealed on CCTV footage is still unknown.
You can see both male suspects pictured below.
#APPEAL | Can you help us identify these men as we believe they can help with our investigation of an assault at Canada Grill, #Altrincham on 19/10/25 at 2am?
The victim has serious injuries to their head and face
Since shared by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) at large on social media, officers investigating the case are appealing for anyone who recognises them to come forward.
While the exact extent of the damage done and the condition of the other person involved in the altercation has not been fully disclosed, they are believed to have been left with significant “head and facial injuries”.
Georgina Pellant -
13th January 2023 
